As with all criminal arrests, domestic violence charges are public record, and you will need a Tampa criminal defense lawyer to fight for you. If you are arrested for a domestic violence charge, battery, or violation of an injunction, that will be on your record and can be seen on the clerk’s website in the county in which you were arrested.

Now, if it is your first arrest and you are able to get the charges dismissed or a withhold of adjudication, those charges can be sealed or expunged against you. However, if you are adjudicated guilty of the charges, they cannot be sealed or expunged. Therefore, it is very important to seek the assistance of counsel early in your case to get a resolution that will benefit you in the long run, so this misunderstanding of charges doesn’t affect you in the future.